Always Be My Maybe, a delightful rom-com starring Ali Wong and Randall Park, serves as a love letter to Asian-American culture, San Francisco, and the nuances of childhood friendships turned romantic.
The film, directed by Nahnatchka Khan, unearths humour and heart, exploring the complexities of reconciling past relationships with present ambitions.
And all wrapped in a narrative that’s both familiar and refreshingly unique.
Always Be My Maybe is pure comedy gold. I mean seriously, it is laugh-out-loud funny from beginning to end and should be top of your Netflix watch list!
Ali Wong (Paper Girls) and Randall Park (Blockbuster) star as the two leads. But they also wrote and produced it so basically, it's their genius that makes every minute of it so funny.
What Is Always Be My Maybe About?
The story goes that growing up Sasha and Marcus were best friends. Having been largely left to fend for herself, Sasha relied a lot on Marcus's family. And it was his mum, Judy, who first introduced her to cooking.
Fast forward a few years and the teenagers have a big falling out and stop speaking to each other.
Now it's 2019 and Sasha is a celebrity chef in New York, engaged to her manager Brandon. They are opening a new restaurant in San Francisco, her home town, and everything is coming along nicely.
That is until Brandon decides to postpone the wedding leaving Sasha to head back to San Fran on her own.
There she bumps into Marcus, who is still living at home and playing in the same band he did as a teenager. With very, very different lifestyles, the two try to rekindle their friendship.
However, things get tricky when they realise they have feelings for each other. Marcus has a girlfriend and Sasha has met somebody new. So the two go on a double dinner date…
What follows next is the single greatest cameo of any film EVER. Forget John Wick, this is Keanu Reeves at the top of his game. Hilarious!
With Keanu on the scene will Sasha forget about Marcus? Will their different lives pull them apart or bring them together? Will they get a happily ever after?
Always Be My Maybe Official Trailer
Is Always Be My Maybe Worth Watching?
Always Be My Maybe is so naturally played out that it really is like watching two old friends. The script style is refreshingly uncontrived and incredibly natural so you can't help but love the two main characters.
Ultimately, this is a tale of reconciliation and growth. Sasha and Marcus face their fears, make amends for past mistakes, and take a leap of faith towards a future together.
Sure, as a romantic comedy, it has a reasonably predictable ending but that doesn't stop the film from bringing the laughs before it's all tied up with a lovely sweet bow.
The supporting cast is equally as engaging and funny and overall the film is just perfect! Just imagine if Crazy Rich Asians and When Harry Met Sally had a rom com baby and it would be this movie.
Always Be My Maybe Cast
Ali Wong as Sasha Tran, a successful celebrity chef who returns to her hometown of San Francisco and reconnects with her childhood friend, Marcus.
Randall Park as Marcus Kim, a musician living in San Francisco. He has played it safe all his life and works for his father’s HVAC company.
James Saito as Harry Kim, Marcus' father, who shares a close bond with his son.
Michelle Buteau as Veronica, Sasha’s best friend and assistant, who supports her throughout her journey.
Vivian Bang as Jenny, Marcus’ quirky and eccentric girlfriend.
Keanu Reeves playing an exaggerated version of himself, he is Sasha’s love interest for a brief period.
Daniel Dae Kim as Brandon Choi, Sasha's fiancee
